Team Thunder Valley Racing Scores Two Podium Finishes with Coupe

[Mad Dog]

https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/karencouperace.jpg

Team Thunder Valley Racing crew leader Karen Salvaggio sent us some good news today reporting that the first competition Factory Five Type 65 Coupe not only secured it’s official logbook this past weekend, but that it also earned two podium finishes!

https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/karencoupemedals.jpg

The team raced to a 3rd place finish on Saturday and a 2nd place finish on Sunday in the TTU class during an event held at the Auto Club Speedway. Way to go everyone! We look forward to hearing about future race events.

[CobraKai]

YES!!!!! Awesome Karen!!!!

[QSL]

Congrats!

[Ray]

OUTSTANDING!!! Looks like you had fun this weekend and it all turned out well. See you in April.

Ray

[MRSQSL]

That's awesome!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!

[NicksPapaw]

Congratulations to Karen and the whole team! Looks like you are sneaking up on the competetion. I guess First place is your next step. The other teams better get out of the way. :)

[Mark Dougherty]

congrats karen and team

[cobrajj]

Great performance! See you in Huntington Beach. Jim

[kabacj]

HA that's awesome Karen. So basically you show up with a brand new car get your log book and out of the box you are on the box!

Clearly a very well built and driven car.

Very cool!

John

[Rodster]

Very excellent - looking forward to seeing you, the team and the car at the HB event!

[Vman7]

A W E S O M E ! Way to go Karen! :) Warrior Princess #28

[smithtlw]

Excellent Karen, that is impressive in a brand new car! How does the solid axle feel compared to the IRS?

-Todd

[jkrueger]

Wooooo hooooooo!

[STLMARSHALL]

Excellent Karen, that is impressive in a brand new car! How does the solid axle feel compared to the IRS?

-Todd

Congrats Karen!

Please tell us more details about your setup and balance of the car.

[frankeeski]

Follow the build blog, most if not all of the info is there. Here is a link http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/entry.php?346-Coupe-Challenge-Building-a-Legend#comments and here http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/blog.php?6-vnmsss

[WIS89]

WAY TO GO Karen!! Tell your team that you and they ROCK! What an awesome weekend for you. You certainly have earned it with all your hard work, as well as your willingness to share your experiences with the community.

Best of luck the rest of the season, and please keep us posted!! Again, congratulations!

Regards,

Steve

[tcoon]

Awesome! What a great beginning! How did she feel on those high banks? I'm very anxious to get mine down there later this season. You have a lot more power now than the old car...how do speeds, lap times, etc compare? TTU? SoCal not using the new classification nomenclature? I should think you would be TT1 or 2 depending on your final hp/wt ratio? As TT1 I bet you would have finished 1st. No way you will ever beat that 700hp Lister that runs TTU down there, or the 600 hp Corvette...anyhoooo WAY TO GO!

Tom

[Fluge]

I should really try to make it out to a race sometime this season. I would love to see it in action.

Is there a race schedule posted somewhere?

Marc

[STLMARSHALL]

Follow the build blog, most if not all of the info is there. Here is a link http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/entry.php?346-Coupe-Challenge-Building-a-Legend#comments and here http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/blog.php?6-vnmsss

Thanks for the link frank. I had read most of that blog previously, but was more interested in details of what has worked and what has not. Things like weight bias, tire/rim compound and sizes, shocks and dampening rates, spring rates, ride heights, alignment specs, ect. I am also interested in any changes they made along the way to cure any problems. I understand if there are some details they would like to keep close for competition sake.

[CHOTIS BILL]

Congratulation. Getting your new logbook and first hardware is always a thrill. I know it takes time to get things dialed in but what were your top speeds and lap times and how do they compare to the old car?

Thanks,

Bill Lomenick

[VeniceCobra]

Great! Congratulations to you and your team!

[Daytona Dan]

Nice...congrats!!!

[vnmsss]

Thanks so much everyone! :)

The first priority for the weekend was to secure the Competition Coupe's logbook. As most here know, the roll cage in the car is an all-new design for the Coupe, and in our efforts, we worked closely with tech officials, and followed the NASA and SCCA Club Codes and Regulations (CCR's) very closely. NASA tech officials inspected the car thoroughly, including a 360 degree inspection of the joints and welds, drilling the cage in several places to verify tubing specs were met, and assuring all other required competition items, including the fuel cell, fire suppression system, safety nets (window and center), and tow hooks were in strict compliance. We received the good news that every item passed with flying colors, including the cage as designed. Needless to say, after a year's worth of work, I was ecstatic to receive a logbook for the #28 Warrior Princess.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/Pits_zps2dde0921.jpg

I owe big thanks to fellow Coupe builders Hank Lopez and Rick Anderson for the design work and execution of the cage. Over the course of the last two years, we spent countless hours on the phone, e-mailing, forum PM'ing, and working together in the shop on this cage. All of us also owe a debt of gratitude to the innovative engineering work of Dave Borden, for the design improvements which have been made to our cars over the years, especially the development of the SAI mod that is now fully incorporated into these new chassis. Congratulations and thank you!! With your help, we did it!

The next goal for the weekend was to get out on to secure the latest suspension data for the car. The car would compete in TTU class for the weekend, as the car had not yet been to the dyno, which is required in the newly formed TT1-3 classes. Competing in the unlimited class would certainly be a challenge, but the objectives and performance goals for the weekend, which included suspension development and overall systems checks, could readily be accomplished.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/PitOut2_zps79ffed4f.jpg

So just how does the 3-link compare with the IRS? Well, in a word...Awesome! The car stuck like glue everywhere on track, and in all the new builds I've driven on track over the years, this one was, by far, the best. The car turns in beautifully, transitions well through the turns, and track out is smooth and predictable. You can literally take a corner inside or out, and she will respond well. Smooth and steady through the oval, and the suspension travel was more than ample to handle the G-forces of the high banks. Suspension settings are much as I've outlined in the blog post, and brought back memories of driving the Challenge Series cars, but with the pleasant absence of the legendary snap over-steer and twitchiness. Gathered a lot of data, and items that need attention include the brakes (require far too much effort for so very little stopping power), a pesky accusump solenoid problem, and need to take the car to the dyno for tuning. The engine needs additional tuning for sure, and I can tell we were down on power, but overall, and for our first competition, I was very pleased.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/Turn2_zps318890ef.jpg

It was certainly great to be back behind the wheel this weekend. I've pretty much spent the last year building the Coupe, and other than driving the 25 Hours in December, I had not been on track in more than a year. Auto Club Speedway is the premier racetrack in Southern California, and as such, our garage was filled with a steady stream of visitors and curious passers-by all weekend. We were pitted next to good friends Rick Knoop (http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/photo/Rick-Knoop-USA.html)(legendary driver) and Julian Mann, owner of the Lister, as well as Team Free (Terry Free, ST1 Corvette) Their teams were of immeasurable help this weekend. It was also awesome to see forum members John Tongish and Gary Lemke running their roadsters this weekend, and I was grateful that Frank Maslowski and family :) stopped by to provide support and encouragement (and some helping hands!). Team Thunder Valley Racing members TC McNett and Roman Vaisman worked the event for NASA, and still found time to help in the garage as well. What good friends!

I also need to give a big shout out to fellow Coupe builder, Chris Ratliff. Chris drove out from the greater LA area for a visit on Saturday, and then graciously returned Sunday to work with me in the garage all day. He snapped the photos (stealthy) in this post during our track session. Thank you, Chris!
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/ChrisKaren_zps3b86393c.jpg

We had a great weekend, and your kind words remind me of just how fortunate I am to be even a small part of this amazing community. Thank you!

Karen

[Jacob McCrea]

Congratulations Karen! Lots of great news in this thread! Thanks for sharing it. Also, I hope to finish the coupe build manual in the next month and a half, having been delayed by a long litany of other matters.

[jkrueger]

Congrats again Karen. Can you share your suspension setup and tire size (looks like different rims this time) with all of us again. As soon as I get my engine back I'm going to be setting up my car and would like to see what you are doing since you have some track time already. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get my car on a track before the One Lap of America race with the way my schedule is.

JC

[Movieman]

Great read, great pics and a great looking car!
All my best!

[68GT500MAN]

Way to go Karen! Now on to the next event.
Doug

[vnmsss]

I ran my street tires (Toyo R888's (275/315's) this weekend, mounted on the the HB replica wheels from Factory Five Racing (9 & 10.5's). FFR front sway bar, no bar in the rear. Front suspension settings: -2 camber, +6.5 caster, 1/16 toe out. Stock brakes (front/rear) that come with the Complete Coupe Kit, with Wilwood pedal box and master cylinders. Spring rates are similar to the Challenge Series cars. I set the ride height up a bit (+ .5) in the rear for this event, as the oval tends to really compress the car. It worked, as it was flat through the oval, and no ill effects through the infield. Didn't bother too much with comparing lap times between the old and new Coupe, as I was running more of a street tire and was not "pushing" it in any way. Patience "Grasshopper." Focus.... System development/reliability; Speed will come. :cool:

Karen

[Movieman]

I have this image of two gentlemen looking down and one telling the other " My wife's car is better than the orginal you built" and the second guy smiling and agreeing..

[crash]

Way to go Karen.

Thanks for the write up. Always nice to read about what is going on when we can't actually be there.

See you at BW. :)

[vnmsss]

I have this image of two gentlemen looking down and one telling the other " My wife's car is better than the orginal you built" and the second guy smiling and agreeing..

Priceless! ;)

....Thanks Mike...See you at BW! (Unless you'll be at Sonoma next weekend. :)

K

[John Dol]

Karen,

That is truly awesome! The effort you guys put in is rightfully rewarded. It's an awesome car and an awesome team, congrats.

John

[skullandbones]

Great team effort! Also, great leadership, Karen! Hope you guys continue on your winning ways. Love the looks of that race car. Hard to believe it looks so good and still goes so fast!!! WEK.

[vnmsss]

Enjoy!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/**********AutoClubSpeedway_zpsbc18d2c7.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/Mar-03-2013-Nasa-HPDE4-TT-Session1-Turn4-NIC_2458_zps08f5e2e5.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/Mar-02-2013-Nasa-HPDE4-TT-Session3-Turn6-Sat_NIC_9000_zpse1ad10ed.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/snkbtn/2013%20Coupe/Mar-03-2013-Nasa-HPDE4-TT-Session3-Oval-NIC_5625_zps1c16bf5f.jpg

[tcoon]

Just awesome news and photos! I am sooo stoked to get out there with you! Great news about the cage, cause mine will be under the gun very shortly. I am trying to get the paint completed so I can at least drive to the track in Sonoma next weekend for a shakedown run. Not quite ready for track time yet, but I'm dying to get it there! I, too need to dyno etc but I only have 17 mi on the motor...think I need to break it in a bit first! Hope to see you next weekend!

[vnmsss]

Tom....Ya, no dyno for mine yet either (and I'm good with it)....I know way too many people that spend tons of time building a fantastic motor, only to throw it on a dyno and run the he$$ out of it before it's even had time for the rings to seal or be remotely broken in...Dyno runs for the Warrior Princess are still down the road a bit.

Karen

[loeffler1]

Karen,

What color? Looks an awful lot like the original Gaurdsman Blue. Also what are the stripe width and separation dimensions?
Thanks

[Movieman]

Karen,

What color? Looks an awful lot like the original Gaurdsman Blue. Also what are the stripe width and separation dimensions?
Thanks

It is "Perfection Blue" because it is perfect..:D
Yea, I think it's the orginal Guardsman Blue

[vnmsss]

Thanks again, guys. :)

Used the 1963 paint codes for Viking Blue and Wimbeldon White....9" stripes with 3/4" separation.

K

[ManO'War]

I think this is Karen S. of the #28 Warrior Princess,I'm building a coupe and would like your help on making it SCCA/NASA approved,you mention Hank Lopez and Rick Anderson for there help with the chassis and rollcage requirements.

Great work out there !!